….scored by the attributes most important to me: price, nutrients, taste in tea, taste in porridge. Simple.
Vegan-friendly milks use less land, water and generate less CO2 than dairy milk so a simple switch can do a lot of good.
Increasingly, supermarkets are doing own brand versions, cafes & restaurants have alternatives available on request, plus you can buy long life, keep your cupboards stocked and never run out!
The cereal isle is packed with them, but where to start? Read on!
Please note: I always opt for fortified, unsweetened variants where possible (excluding my weakness for chocolate variants) – always check the label for pesky added sugar!
1. Oatly
The best all-rounder - Oatly is a good starting point for any non-dairy milk newbies. Mild tasting and inoffensive in both tea & porridge; plus the marketing team make the packaging pretty entertaining.
Price:
£1.50 (but often on offer for £1)
Nutrients:
• The GOOD:
Fortified with calcium and vitamins D, B2 & B12
Low fat & saturates
Low total sugars and no added sugar Simple ingredients
• The LESS GOOD:
Added salt
Not a source of protein
Taste in Tea:
8 / 10 – not bad at all!
Taste in Porridge:
Undetectable due to oat on oat action
Overall verdict: The best all rounder & the least offensive in tea
Oh man this is tasty. Available in 1l carton as well as little juice box-sized ones, this is a delicious and versatile alternative to milk and milkshake.
Price:
£1.40 (but often on offer for £1)
Nutrients:
• The GOOD:
Fortified with calcium and vitamins D, B2 & B12
High in protein
Low in fat & saturates
• The LESS GOOD:
Added salt
Added sugar (but we’ll let it off as its chocolate & I buy the 30% less sugars version)
Taste in Tea:
Not recommended…unless you like chocolate tea?
Taste in Porridge:
9.5 / 10 – by far the best in my opinion...you can find a recipe for the most delicious overnight oats, arguably ever here
Overall verdict:
Best for porridge (Oatly Chocolate is also great tasting)
Additional: Pretty darn tasty on its own too!
Price:
£1.50
Nutrients:
• The GOOD:
Fortified with calcium and vitamins D, E & B12
Source of protein
Low in fat & saturates
Low in sugar & no added sugar
• The LESS GOOD:
Added salt
Taste in Tea:
6 / 10
Taste in Porridge:
Very slightly nutty
Otherwise undetectable
Overall verdict:
Second choice for tea
Arguably the best nutritionally
Additional: Works well in sub of milk in baking recipes like this one.
4. Koko Coconut
Price:
£1.70
Nutrients:
• The GOOD:
Fortified with calcium and vitamins D & B12
Low in fat & saturates
Low in total sugars & no added sugar
• The LESS GOOD:
Added salt
Not a source of protein
Taste in Tea:
4 / 10 (but 7 / 10 in coffee)
Taste in Porridge:
8 / 10 – pretty darn delicious, especially with a more subtle tasting fruit such as blueberries (my boyfriend’s favourite)
Overall verdict:
A close second for porridge
5. Rice Dream
Price:
£1.40
Nutrients:
• The GOOD:
Fortified with calcium and vitamins B & D12
Low in fat & saturates
No added sugar
• The LESS GOOD:
Higher sugar than other varieties (7g / 100g)
Added salt
Contains oil which is kinda gross
Taste in Tea:
Not bad, but slightly oily mouthfeel – this might be psychological since reading the ingredients though!
Taste in Porridge:
Kinda ‘meh’ but certainly not offensive tasting
Overall verdict:
Not my top choice but fine in tea, if there's nothing else going
In summary, there's plenty of dairy-free options out there, it's just working out what's best for you & your needs. Making the switch to non-dairy milk is an easy way to reduce negative impact on animals & the environment; give it a try!